Rail

The UK rail operator has published updated information to engineering works being carried out over the Christmas period; from 25-30 December, no services will operate to or from London Kings Cross.

The country’s government announced yesterday, 5 November, that it is cutting the number of trains running to neighbouring Italy, Germany and France amid partial COVID-19 lockdowns in each of those destinations. Five Swiss train connections daily to Italy will be suspended from 9 November until at least 12 December, while long-distance routes to France will be reduced to two connections daily between Geneva and Paris, and one connection daily between Zurich to Paris via Basel until at least 1 December.

The cross-channel rail provider has announced that Eurostar trains will not stop in the UK county of Kent until 2022, due in a drop in demand related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Services have not been stopping in the two affected stations, Ashford and Ebbsfleet, since March - however the decision to extend this closure until 2022 has come as a surprise to many, and is not a decision that the provider says has been taken lightly.

South Africa's iconic luxury train journey on board The Blue Train will be resuming services for private charters from September 2020, the provider has announced; the move coincides with COVID-19 restrictions within the country being adjusted down to level two. Leisure travel will also resume with a full schedule from 1 November, and passengers will benefit from strict and thorough COVID-19 hygiene protocols.

The UK rail operator LNER, who operate long-distance inter-city services from London King's Cross to north east England and Scotland, is set to begin trials of a new onboard catering service; featuring mobile ordering, the service will facilitate the delivery of food and drink directly to passengers’ seats. The digital in-seat app ‘Let’s Eat – At Your Seat’ will be available to customers in both Standard and First Class.